BioWare is pretty pleased with the launch of Mass Effect 2, and have issued this announcement highlighting a few points of pride, saying the game is the first blockbuster of 2010. Word is Mass Effect 2 has sold over two million copies worldwide in its first week of availability, and that reviews have been outstanding: "Mass Effect 2 has earned 40 perfect scores, amassed over 30 editor’s choice awards and has donned the covers of 45 magazines worldwide. On launch day, the term “Mass Effect” was in the top 10 trending topics on Twitter and most searched on Google News. MSNBC.com said, 'Mass Effect will go down as one of the most influential video game series of all-time'."

If you don't use an old saved game, what are the "default" choices ME2 assume you make? What kind of difference do these choices make on the story? Can some one please give an example? I'd use a saved game from that website someone mentioned earlier, but I don't want to start off ME2 with an overpowered Shepard.

But granted, could just as well mean they do ME4 ^^ He said the franchise will continue, if he had meant to say that the trilogy will continue he wouldn't have said franchise (given that theres comics and a soon to come movie)

Speculation yes.. though i don't follow it nearly as religious ;p I am just happy they do what they do.

What exactly are you basing that assumption on? I'm not saying you're wrong but I've been following the Bioware stuff religiously and never heard them say anything but "this story is a trilogy" which means Shepard could potentially go on for quite some time.

Well if they do that, all the better But i am pretty sure ME3 will end this particular story arc entirely and completely. Theres definitely no shepard in whatever comes after ME3, so thats what i mean with the series ends. Sure they make new games, but ME1-3 is a trilogy and i am 100% positive whatever comes afterwards only has mild resemblance at best.

Mhh, thats true.. but given that ME3 is the last game in the series they have much more freedom than in ME1 -> ME2 (Which had to end in a certain way to setup ME3/ME2 no matter your decisions, but ME3 has no such limitations).

Still you are right, do i think the game is going to be unwinnable with new character created in me3, of course not. But how will the end look like if you import a character where the council died or the humans took it over. Where rachni are alive or not. Where cerberus is all-powerful reaper tech infused, or not, Where Krogans are united thanks to Wrex, or a wreck thanks to you killing him. Where Quarians and Geth help you or where they are both interlocked in a war of attrition? These seem to me like pretty massive implications, far reaching beyond most choices we could make in ME1 or ME2 and what little impact they could have in ME2 given its time-frame (2years).

And more importantly, unless you want to miss out on like, 60% of the pull of ME3 you should really make savegames and characters with diverse decision backgrounds. Because if one thing is sure, then that is that every action in ME2, and most of the big ones in ME1 will rain on your parade in ME3.

Why would you assume this? If anything you should be expecting the opposite. The gameplay experience cannot be ruined for one person because a choice they made two games ago, that's violating a few dozen game design philosophies. Did anything in Mass Effect 2 do this? No. There's no reason to think they would go this drastic and in fact every reason to believe they will avoid doing so. Look at how your choices from the first game affect the second for many examples. The way Bioware did it was fine and I have no doubt they will do the same for Mass Effect 3. For those expecting earth shattering ramifications for your actions in a videogame, forget it. They would essentially have to design 2-3 separate games at the same time.

And more importantly, unless you want to miss out on like, 60% of the pull of ME3 you should really make savegames and characters with diverse decision backgrounds. Because if one thing is sure, then that is that every action in ME2, and most of the big ones in ME1 will rain on your parade in ME3.

Theres a considerable difference between different ME1 saves that you import, so thats 2 playthroughs (at least) - then you can play either nice or dickish. The standard "new game" mode is considerable less involved of course... but is it still your own play-through and story? ;p

And more importantly, unless you want to miss out on like, 60% of the pull of ME3 you should really make savegames and characters with diverse decision backgrounds. Because if one thing is sure, then that is that every action in ME2, and most of the big ones in ME1 will rain on your parade in ME3.

I don't say you should replay the game 5 times in a row, maybe once every 5 months and add a detailed log to your saves (in the save directory) so that you know what you did in which save for ME3...

Though, you got several good points, its linear in that 95% of the game is recruiting missions.., i would have hoped for a bit more.. variety.. its got a so-so combat mechanic.. and its got the planet scanning thing (find that kinda annoying on 2nd play-through, for the 3rd i want cheats..)

Not to mention that, now, you can play through the first game again, and have it impact the second one as well. I'm not certain, but I think, depending on who you romance in the first game, and of course, who you let die, you're going to have a lot different experience when it comes to character interaction in the second.

The choices made in the first game amount to little more than a few extra lines of dialog in ME2. And there are no "branching storyline" quests in this game, it's all a very VERY linear affair.

The biggest obstacle between me and a second playthrough of ME2 is the gameplay itself. It's just not a very engaging/fun shooter. The maps are absolutely bare bones, the enemies are not interesting or remotely intelligent, the biotic and tech abilities aren't deep enough and there are too few, unoriginal weapons.

RPG's are in a sad state when Bioware's are considered the best out there.

While I wouldn't call Mass Effect one of the greatest RPG's, or even a particularly great RPG for that matter, it was one of the best games I've played in the last 10 years. I tend not to care too much about genre tropes when I'm having so much fun.

Um.. I wouldn't even call this a fucking RPG. Whoever calls the Mass Effect games RPGs are clearly delusional. Making a statement like "RPGs are in a sad state..." is just stupid when you use Mass Effect as your reference, as it's merely got RPG-like elements. That doesn't make this an RPG. >_>

That said, if RPGs are in a sad state, it's only because it's a fairly niche market. Most gamers aren't into RPGs, regardless of whether or not you are. Making an RPG is a lot more risky than making an FPS these days, so it's a logical thing to make ME2 more action-oriented than RPG-oriented. Additionally, I highly doubt it would have sold nearly as well had it gone the other way.

Dev wrote on Jan 30, 2010, 12:39:PHJF:I imagine that someone would experiance differant story bits depending on your choices, so that would be one reason to replay.

Not to mention that, now, you can play through the first game again, and have it impact the second one as well. I'm not certain, but I think, depending on who you romance in the first game, and of course, who you let die, you're going to have a lot different experience when it comes to character interaction in the second.

Bioware is really coming up with some novel (if not innovative) gaming mechanics. It kind of blows my mind considering the stagnancy of gaming innovation in the past few years. Watch them become the id Software of modern gaming.

It needs to be said though, that theres plenty reasons to replay this game more than once

Beg to differ. As I already said, there's very little distinction between classes as all tech and biotic abilities generally amount to the same thing. Christ, there are no less than 3 ways to get your shields higher (Geth Shield Boost, Fortification, Barrier). Throw basically does what Slam basically does what Shockwaves basically does what Concussive Shot basically does...

winnetou:Don't forget the pirated version leaked out almost a week early.

Now I don't know if any of the people here pirated it, but it is a possability.

Flo:It can be compared to it in the sense that they are both PC games. And everyone has differant tastes, if they have more fun with torchlight than ME2, then that's thier own personal taste.Now I have no idea if they are actually being honest when they say that though

Tumbler:That gives me an idea. A game like ME2 should have a special adults only DLC that DOES give full nudity and sex (or at least R rated stuff, there's been full frontal in R rated movies before). I bet it would sell a ton of copies. It wouldn't be in the base game (so it could keep its current ratng and not be censored), and theoretically only availible to people who are over 18.Hey the witcher did something like that, why can't others?